Estonian large carnivore sighting and track observations

Description

To understand the current status and trends of large carnivore populations.

Bear, lynx and wolf site and track observations are reported by hunters to the Estonian Environment Agency, which analyses the data to separate them into different reproductive units.
Hunters also contribute by surveying transects to count wolf and lynx tracks in the snow.
Finally, biological samples are provided to researchers from each bear, lynx or wolf shot.

Results

Approximately 5000 bear, wolf and lynx sightings are reported and up to 4500 km of transects are surveyed by hunters a year